If....
Director:
Lindsay Anderson
Stars:
Malcolm McDowell , Christine Noonan, Richard Warwick, David Wood, ,
Rupert Webster, Robert Swann, Hugh Thomas, Peter Jeffery, Arthur
Lowe, Mary MacLeod & Graham Crowden.
Running Time:
112 mins.
Release:
19 December 1968
This film focuses on a prefect at a public school simply called
College and in this school there's a student called Mick Travis
(McDowell) who's of the rebellious sort. He and his friends have had
enough of the hierarchy at College and decides to redress the balance
of hierarchy once and for all over the school year slowly plotting
their plan.
Malcolm McDowell gives an outstanding scene stealing performance as
Mick Travis a middle-class rebellious school boy who's sick and
tired of the hierarchy within College and has violent thoughts and
fantasies about committing violent attacks on his oppressors. He's
very passionate about his cause “There's no such thing as a wrong
war. Violence and revolution are the only pure acts” and what he
believes in and forms rebellious group The Crusaders.
His one true pure act of rebellion in the film is stealing a
motorcycle and riding it with his friend Johnny clearly enjoying
their freedom.
Travis is very charismatic, intelligent, passionate,spirited and has
a wicked dark sense of humour and has a real rebellious streak in him
throughout the film by simply not obeying the rules and he's also a
fantasist w as the film smoothly moves from reality to dream. He also
has some of the best lines in the film. He effortlessly pulls off
being a well educated public school boy with a blue collar like
fantasy of carrying out his revenge on his oppressors . Despite being
25 when he made the film. He's not snooty or snobby like some public
school boys seem to be represented as.
Christine Noonan plays The Girl whom Mike and Johnny meet at the
cafe when they steal the motorcycle from the dealership. Her one big
pivotal scene is the cafe scene which goes from reality to Mike's
dream fairly quickly. She then appears sporadicly in later scenes
which makes you question If she's real or not. I personally believe
that at first she's real then in the later half scene In the cafe
she's not and every scene thereafter. I believe from the second half
of the cafe that she is a part of Mike's fantasy as he's clearly
sexually attracted to her and she's working class and he would like
to believe that she would join in in his crusade.
She only says a handful of lines within the film but her character
has a pivotal role and she plays the part very well indeed.
David Wood plays Mike Travis one-of-few classmates Johnny an equally
rebellious school boy who gallantly joins in with Mike and his
mis-behaviour. He has the look of a cheeky school boy and he plays
the part very well it's a shame he's not done much since but now he's
a famous children's author.
Richard Warwick plays Wallace another one of Mick's few friends who
joins in Mick's Crusade. He's also homosexual or bisexual as he
forms a relationship with Bobby Phillips (Rupert Webster). He's a
very grounded character and plays his part very well it's unfortunate
that Warwick died very young at the age of 52.
Rupert Webster plays Bobby Phillips the youngest member of the
Crusaders. He's bullied by his peers and the whips and does not
really have anyone to talk to or confide in. He's clearly attracted
to Wallace as we see in the Gymnastic scene. It would be a fair point
to make that his attachment to Wallace is what makes him join the
group. He's a really good supporting character in the film. He's a
really good actor it's a pity he did not act much after this.
Robert Swann plays Rowntree the chief whip prefect who's very
snobbish, wicked stern and nasty and has it in to get Mick and his
friends. As they don't follow the rules and gives them a hard time
for it. He's the bane of Mick's hatred towards the Whip's. He's
incredibly spoilt and always gets what he wants he even has power
over some of the members of staff there. It would be fair to say that
his character is a bit big for his boots. His one big scene is when
he canes Mick, Johnny and Wallace for not following the rules is
really harsh but true. He is exceedingly good in the role.
Hugh Thomas plays Denson another chief whip/prefect whom I find
personally to be the most typical depiction of a prefect. I don't
mean that in a bad way or anything. He's really bossy, strict,lazy
patriotic, cruel, vindictive and also power mad as well as being a
sexually repressed homosexual. He hides this as he does not want to
be mocked or punished. He's very lazy as he gets one the “scum”
Bobby Phillips to look after his every need and to be honest I don't
think he would even wipe his own backside. He too also likes dishing
out punishment to Mick and his friends.
Arthur Lowe plays Mr Kemp a lecturer within College who's in a very
high position within the school he seems to be the most stern and
strict member of staff within College compared to some of the
teachers that we see in the film. He also has a much younger wife and
they have a strange relationship. I'll mention her later on. He's
fantastic in the small role.
Peter Jeffery plays the Headmaster who's not really in control of the
school. He seems rather wimpish and too soft to be a headmaster. He's
not stern enough. He gives the pupils pretentious pearls of wisdom.
His character almost seems comic.
Graham Crowden plays the History Master who is the most laid back
liberal teacher that I have ever seen on screen to date. I was
astounded. He let's his pupils say what they think of a time in
history if they think it's right or wrong without a single text book
getting the way. I could tell he was an engaging teacher. He even
comes into class whistling a tune riding on a bike !. In the church
scene earlier in the film he looks completely un-interested. In some
parts I feel he's like Mike in his own way. I personally feel he was
not in it enough and he plays the part perfectly and stole his one
real scene.
Mary MacLeod plays Mrs Kemp Mr Kemp's much younger wife. As the
running time goes on in the film you can tell that she's in a
loveless marriage and she's sexually repressed which is evident in
some scenes. One being when Mick and his friends talk to her in the
dining hall gently flirting with her and after they leave she's
touching her chest and the other being during the battle re-enactment
scene she's walking around the Seniors rooms and locker rooms nude
touching their clothes. Her role is very small put a pivotal one as
she represents a part of the sexual repression within in the school
and it's conforming rules.
Also I cannot forget Geoffrey Charter who plays the perverted
chaplain and Jute played by Sean Bury who plays a first year student
who presents to us what happens to new pupils in the school to make
them model students for the school. It's great that we see this film
through the eyes of a senior (Mike) and a first year (Jute).
The music is done by Marc Wilkinson and he does a brilliant job on a
practically sparse score. The most famous track is a quire with slow
drums playing at the same time which works as Mike's theme in my
eyes.
Lindsay Anderson has done a fantastic job making this film on a very
small budget. It's shot very realistically and in some ways it looks
like it's been shot in a documentary style. I should go on to say
that some scenes are in black and white and this is not done for any
artistic reason or anything it's solely done to keep the budget low
as they could not afford lighting and such like for colour. The
colour scenes merge well with the black and white perfectly. There's
not one shot of place in this film. Also this film is the first in
the Lindsay Anderson Mick Travis Trilogy the second part being
O'Lucky Man ! And the final part being Britannia Hospital in all of
which McDowell has a lead role.
This film is very thematic and tackles a lot of issues; society,
hierarchy, power, sexual repression, class and rebellion. All of
which are relevant today no wonder it was a controversial film back
then. It's an absolute British Masterpiece and I am very keen to see
the other parts of the trilogy.
